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The Dead Room
THE DEAD ROOM — The No. 1 Amazon.com Bestseller (US & UK) A young woman is found, brutally murdered and left on gruesome display in the “safety” of her own home. The atrocity kicks off an investigation into a bizarre string of increasingly disturbing murders, all believed to be perpetrated by someone of unprecedented savagery and cunning. As the city’s panic rises, civil attorney Teddy Mack is thrown headlong into the grisly homicide case—and into a world of dirty politics and corrupt justice, where deceptions are as deadly as a killer’s twisted secrets. Now, another woman is about to meet the same horrific fate as the others. To end a madman’s reign, Teddy must enter his maze—a place of unimaginable terror and shocking revelations. FROM THE EDITORS With his second thriller, Los Angeles Times bestselling author, Robert Ellis, delivers an explosive read with full-blown characters caught in a world stacked with twists and turns and an emotional intensity that burns white-hot. THE DEAD ROOM serves as the introduction to the critically acclaimed Lena Gamble series, and remains a truly one of a kind find. READER REVIEWS (A Brief Sample from Verified Purchasers) “Things happen quickly and dramatically in this bloody tale of a psychotic serial murderer, a young attorney, and a DA who will do anything to win his cases.” “Outstanding mystery! Outstanding story with a shocking end!” “Robert Ellis has been added to my “favorite authors” list.” “Robert Ellis is a master storyteller, painting violent pictures that become imprinted on the reader's mind. Just when you think he might be slowing down his plot, he ups the ante and hits you with a higher level of shock.” PRAISE FOR ROBERT ELLIS “Ellis keeps everything in focus while building a staggering momentum.”— Booklist, Starred Review, CITY OF ECHOES “CITY OF ECHOES is a dark, gritty, one-sit read. Ellis’ trademark plotting is on full display here.”— Bookreporter.com “Only really good writers can make you feel so strongly. CITY OF ECHOES is another bravura effort from the talented Robert Ellis.”— Mystery Scene magazine “CITY OF ECHOES is an absorbing and entertaining read from first page to last and documents novelist Robert Ellis as a master of the genre.”— Midwest Book Review “CITY OF ECHOES is a Best Book of the Month.”— Amazon.com
436 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2002
767 people are currently reading
2328 people want to read
About the author
Robert Ellis
14 books198 followersRobert Ellis is the bestselling author of Access to Power and The Dead Room, as well as two critically acclaimed series--the Lena Gamble novels, City of Fire, The Lost Witness, and Murder Season, and the Detective Matt Jones Thriller Series, City of Echoes, The Love Killings, The Girl Buried in the Woods, and City of Stones.
Born in Philadelphia, Robert moved to Los Angeles and worked as a writer, producer, and director in film, television, and advertising. After ghostwriting the final draft of Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Robert wrote his first novel, Access to Power, a national bestseller. His books have been translated into more than ten languages and won praise from authors as diverse as Janet Evanovich and Michael Connelly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
February 21, 2017
Really liked this book.
This was my first book written by this author, he doesn't fill the pages with unnecessary words and descriptions. But let us understand Teddy Mack character completely. Story starts with gruesome murder of a young girl. Neighbors saw mailman walking out of the house, his clothes covered in blood. Story has many twists, it keeps you at the edge of your seat. Politics and big money donations, mental health problems all in this story. Get ready for the shocking ending, if you truly understood Teddy character, you'll figure out the ending.
This was my first book written by this author, he doesn't fill the pages with unnecessary words and descriptions. But let us understand Teddy Mack character completely. Story starts with gruesome murder of a young girl. Neighbors saw mailman walking out of the house, his clothes covered in blood. Story has many twists, it keeps you at the edge of your seat. Politics and big money donations, mental health problems all in this story. Get ready for the shocking ending, if you truly understood Teddy character, you'll figure out the ending.
August 28, 2021
4.5 stars. A lot of twists and surprises. It took a little bit to get into the book probably because the main character was named Teddy Mack, and it didn’t make sense that the fresh faced lawyer was all buddy buddy with the head honcho of the law firm.
May 4, 2012
It’s hard for me to say I “liked” this book and my rating doesn’t reflect my feelings about it, so much as it gives credit to the author for his ability to provoke strong emotion and thought. I say this because, in the end, the darkness that pervades the story is so horrendous that it’s difficult to have any sense of having enjoyed it. When you read a crime novel in which, by the last word, the mentally-deranged killer seems no more sick than the “normal” people who supposedly carry out justice, it’s beyond disturbing, especially to consider that it could be being read as only a thriller/suspense novel in which the deeper, more pervasive (and not fictional) evil it points to might well get overlooked. And I find it more horrifying still (and frighteningly, if aptly, symbolic) that the title refers to the artist who painted God reaching out to man in the loving act of creation, while it depicts so many men (and not just the characters of the novel, I’d suggest) setting themselves up as gods devoid of any love, participating in the destruction of life. I think this is a book with a much bigger message to be reflected on than its thriller genre implies and, personally, I felt pained to the soul when I reached the story’s conclusion. Not for the faint of heart due to gore and other evils, both criminal and legal, but a book I still think is important to read and think about.
October 21, 2013
RATING: 4.75
I'm sitting here shaking my head in amazement at a very rare event in my reading life. I just read an ending that blew me away. After reading far too many weak resolutions, it was totally awesome to read one that really worked! All my conclusions about The Dead Room that had been formed up until the last chapter were turned around. The character that I thought was disposed of too conveniently? I was wrong. The person that I found to be inconsistent? I was wrong. The motivations of some of the more likable characters? Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Thank you, Robert Ellis, for breaking the mold and developing an ending that really worked.
But perhaps you'd like to know something about what happens in the book. A young woman who is enamored of her own body has been teasing the mailman, allowing an "accidental" glimpse here, a fleeting glance there. When she is found brutally murdered, he is the only suspect, as the forensic evidence is incontrovertible—his finger and lip prints are all over her body, her blood all over his clothing. When Oscar Holmes confesses, it's time to lock him in jail and throw away the key. For some reason, a very well-connected lawyer wants to defend him against the charge and assigns one of the young attorneys on his staff to the case, a real estate lawyer by the name of Teddy Mack. Teddy has consciously decided not to pursue a career in criminal law as the result of a horrible incident in his family's past but has to follow the big man's directive or risk his future in the practice.
There are other victims who have suffered horrible deaths, so it appears that Oscar is a serial killer of the worst sort. Against all odds, Teddy decides that Oscar is innocent. To put it mildly, everyone thinks that he is out of his mind, including the defendant, who had a black-out incident during the murder but who does believe that he did it. Teddy is helped in his case by a renegade legal expert by the name of Nash who specializes in taking old cases and having them investigated by his students. He has a high success rate at having the cases retried and finding the original target innocent. Teddy also works with the assistant district attorney, Carolyn Powell, who is less willing to believe but who is at least open to talking about the incongruities that Teddy uncovers. She is very loyal to her boss, a real no-holds-barred type who loves to embarrass and humiliate his opponents.
What Ellis does wonderfully well is to engross the reader in the narrative and make it impossible to put down. There are scenes which will make you angry, others that will leave you shaking your head, but you will want to finish the book even if it seems at times to have conflicting information. What I initially thought was the resolution of the book, and an unsatisfactory one at that, was not really a resolution at all. Ellis uses a device where he fast forwards 6 years after the culminating events, and it is only then that we see the true horror of the situation.
The book will leave you shaking your head in amazement that you didn't see the truth all along. Although there were a few areas that were not well done, notably an explicit sex scene, the book held up to this reviewer's microscope. Warning: there are a few graphic scenes that may be difficult for more sensitive readers.
I'm sitting here shaking my head in amazement at a very rare event in my reading life. I just read an ending that blew me away. After reading far too many weak resolutions, it was totally awesome to read one that really worked! All my conclusions about The Dead Room that had been formed up until the last chapter were turned around. The character that I thought was disposed of too conveniently? I was wrong. The person that I found to be inconsistent? I was wrong. The motivations of some of the more likable characters? Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Thank you, Robert Ellis, for breaking the mold and developing an ending that really worked.
But perhaps you'd like to know something about what happens in the book. A young woman who is enamored of her own body has been teasing the mailman, allowing an "accidental" glimpse here, a fleeting glance there. When she is found brutally murdered, he is the only suspect, as the forensic evidence is incontrovertible—his finger and lip prints are all over her body, her blood all over his clothing. When Oscar Holmes confesses, it's time to lock him in jail and throw away the key. For some reason, a very well-connected lawyer wants to defend him against the charge and assigns one of the young attorneys on his staff to the case, a real estate lawyer by the name of Teddy Mack. Teddy has consciously decided not to pursue a career in criminal law as the result of a horrible incident in his family's past but has to follow the big man's directive or risk his future in the practice.
There are other victims who have suffered horrible deaths, so it appears that Oscar is a serial killer of the worst sort. Against all odds, Teddy decides that Oscar is innocent. To put it mildly, everyone thinks that he is out of his mind, including the defendant, who had a black-out incident during the murder but who does believe that he did it. Teddy is helped in his case by a renegade legal expert by the name of Nash who specializes in taking old cases and having them investigated by his students. He has a high success rate at having the cases retried and finding the original target innocent. Teddy also works with the assistant district attorney, Carolyn Powell, who is less willing to believe but who is at least open to talking about the incongruities that Teddy uncovers. She is very loyal to her boss, a real no-holds-barred type who loves to embarrass and humiliate his opponents.
What Ellis does wonderfully well is to engross the reader in the narrative and make it impossible to put down. There are scenes which will make you angry, others that will leave you shaking your head, but you will want to finish the book even if it seems at times to have conflicting information. What I initially thought was the resolution of the book, and an unsatisfactory one at that, was not really a resolution at all. Ellis uses a device where he fast forwards 6 years after the culminating events, and it is only then that we see the true horror of the situation.
The book will leave you shaking your head in amazement that you didn't see the truth all along. Although there were a few areas that were not well done, notably an explicit sex scene, the book held up to this reviewer's microscope. Warning: there are a few graphic scenes that may be difficult for more sensitive readers.
February 7, 2014
At one point, as I commented, my heart was pounding and I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough. But, then, the story lost steam. It didn't bog down exactly, just slowed. The ending was much less satisfactory than the middle. Okay, that said, the idea was great and twisted and convoluted. Just the way I like my mysteries/thrillers. The characters were were well developed and interesting and flawed - sometimes too flawed with the flaws too obvious. The last few chapters took away from the excitement and interest rather than adding to them. However, there is talent here. I did enjoy this book - just less so by the end.
August 16, 2014
(I guess it deserves 3 stars...)
- - -
This is one of those books that I find difficult to judge. On one hand, it certainly wasn't one of the worst books I'd ever read. Competently written. Not a ton of typos. Everything more or less makes sense-- or, well, is explained-- by the end of the book. It even goes beyond the "usual fare" of the genre and tries to make you think. But... I simply didn't really enjoy the reading-- not to the point that I'd recommend it to a random reader. (For someone who can't get enough of legal thrillers, yes, I'd recommend it.) For whatever reason, I never particularly liked the main character, and it felt like it took me forever to make any progress in the book. I wanted to finish it, but I didn't want to read it, if you know what I mean.
Specific Comments (with SPOILERS):
--Not a bad book. Just not my favorite type.
- - -
This is one of those books that I find difficult to judge. On one hand, it certainly wasn't one of the worst books I'd ever read. Competently written. Not a ton of typos. Everything more or less makes sense-- or, well, is explained-- by the end of the book. It even goes beyond the "usual fare" of the genre and tries to make you think. But... I simply didn't really enjoy the reading-- not to the point that I'd recommend it to a random reader. (For someone who can't get enough of legal thrillers, yes, I'd recommend it.) For whatever reason, I never particularly liked the main character, and it felt like it took me forever to make any progress in the book. I wanted to finish it, but I didn't want to read it, if you know what I mean.
Specific Comments (with SPOILERS):
--Not a bad book. Just not my favorite type.
January 31, 2012
great book. jumped on it after finishing the author's lena gamble series.
won't bother with a synopsis - never do, plus there's always someone who will. but know that there are enough twists and turns in this book to keep you interested. loved the protagonist teddy mack (what a great name!) and am very disappointed that this isn't a series.
this book features a literary device that i keep seeing over and over - the internal thoughts, and the continued actions, of the bad guy. don't know how i feel about that. on one hand - this dude is CREEPY. so i was pretty creeped out for a large portion of the book. is that a good thing? maybe. on the other hand - it feels a bit lazy. being in the bad guy's mind means our fearless hero doesn't have to figure out as much stuff to keep us in the loop. more often then not - we know more then he does. again, is that a good thing? maybe.
anyway - highly recommend. am now working through the last book by this author - another standalone - and wishing there was more teddy mack instead....
won't bother with a synopsis - never do, plus there's always someone who will. but know that there are enough twists and turns in this book to keep you interested. loved the protagonist teddy mack (what a great name!) and am very disappointed that this isn't a series.
this book features a literary device that i keep seeing over and over - the internal thoughts, and the continued actions, of the bad guy. don't know how i feel about that. on one hand - this dude is CREEPY. so i was pretty creeped out for a large portion of the book. is that a good thing? maybe. on the other hand - it feels a bit lazy. being in the bad guy's mind means our fearless hero doesn't have to figure out as much stuff to keep us in the loop. more often then not - we know more then he does. again, is that a good thing? maybe.
anyway - highly recommend. am now working through the last book by this author - another standalone - and wishing there was more teddy mack instead....
September 5, 2015
Robert Ellis', The Dead Room is a riveting and intense crime mystery psycho thriller of a deranged serial killer, a politically driven prosecutor, an unethical justice system, and a conspiracy with twists and turns, which will leave you speechless. Be prepared for a scary, twisted, and gruesome roller coaster ride of your life.
In Philadelphia, a young teen girl, Darlene Lewis is getting ready for her boyfriend, while her parents are out of town and is murdered, in a horrific gruesome manner. She has been skinned and glued to a dining room table. The mailman, Oscar Holmes has been charged with the murder. She had been taunting him, and he has a past; his fingerprints and teeth marks are found on the body and a neighbor witnessed the mail carrier running away from the crime scene, drenched in blood, at the approximate time the crime was committed.
Teddy Mack, a young attorney, with a horrible past. His father was convicted of a murder he did not commit as was set up. Due to this, he does not want to get into criminal law, as is a real estate attorney with Barnett and Stokes Law Firm.
One of the partners in the firm, where he is an associate takes on a murder case and asks for Teddy's help. The partner claims that he has accepted the case as a favor to the alleged murderer's family, who are his friends. He wants Teddy to convince a local law professor with a national reputation to work with them on the case. Despite his issues with his father's death, he is told that all he will be asked to do, since the defendant obviously committed the heinous crime, is to eliminate the death penalty as an option and make sure that the accused is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane, as opposed to the state penitentiary.
Teddy begins to believe despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Holmes is innocent and due to his background and wrongful conviction of his father, he is driven to help Holmes as he walks into a world of dirty politics, corruption, and lies, as deadly as the killer's twisted secrets
An intense and gripping crime thriller, of a serial killer, a political conspiracy and revenge. Cannot give away the twist at the end; however, will say, the book was intriguing and unpredictable, with a corrupt criminal justice system. Too good!
If you like a dose of shock, terror, complexity, demons, homicide, twisted, murder, ambition, betrayal, justice, courtroom drama, political, crime thrillers, suspense, action, and can stomach some gruesome acts of violence combined with some great writing, and a surprise ending, this book is for you.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Jim McCance was quite chilling, which made it even more spooky and realistic. Looking forward to more by Ellis!
Look for his upcoming The City of Echoes a new homicide Hollywood cop, coming 9/1/2015!
In Philadelphia, a young teen girl, Darlene Lewis is getting ready for her boyfriend, while her parents are out of town and is murdered, in a horrific gruesome manner. She has been skinned and glued to a dining room table. The mailman, Oscar Holmes has been charged with the murder. She had been taunting him, and he has a past; his fingerprints and teeth marks are found on the body and a neighbor witnessed the mail carrier running away from the crime scene, drenched in blood, at the approximate time the crime was committed.
Teddy Mack, a young attorney, with a horrible past. His father was convicted of a murder he did not commit as was set up. Due to this, he does not want to get into criminal law, as is a real estate attorney with Barnett and Stokes Law Firm.
One of the partners in the firm, where he is an associate takes on a murder case and asks for Teddy's help. The partner claims that he has accepted the case as a favor to the alleged murderer's family, who are his friends. He wants Teddy to convince a local law professor with a national reputation to work with them on the case. Despite his issues with his father's death, he is told that all he will be asked to do, since the defendant obviously committed the heinous crime, is to eliminate the death penalty as an option and make sure that the accused is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane, as opposed to the state penitentiary.
Teddy begins to believe despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Holmes is innocent and due to his background and wrongful conviction of his father, he is driven to help Holmes as he walks into a world of dirty politics, corruption, and lies, as deadly as the killer's twisted secrets
An intense and gripping crime thriller, of a serial killer, a political conspiracy and revenge. Cannot give away the twist at the end; however, will say, the book was intriguing and unpredictable, with a corrupt criminal justice system. Too good!
If you like a dose of shock, terror, complexity, demons, homicide, twisted, murder, ambition, betrayal, justice, courtroom drama, political, crime thrillers, suspense, action, and can stomach some gruesome acts of violence combined with some great writing, and a surprise ending, this book is for you.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Jim McCance was quite chilling, which made it even more spooky and realistic. Looking forward to more by Ellis!
Look for his upcoming The City of Echoes a new homicide Hollywood cop, coming 9/1/2015!
January 20, 2015
First up, I'd give this one 3-1/2 stars if it were possible; it's better than 3 but not quite up to the quality level of a 4. That said, I got it free from eBook Impresario several months ago - based on the description (which sounded right up my alley), the relatively large number of 5-star ratings at Amazon.com and the reported fact that it was a No. 1 Amazon.com bestseller in the United States and United Kingdom.
And make no mistake, it's a pretty good read; the story moves along quickly, stays interesting most of the way and I was eager to pick it back up after life's other tasks forced me to stop for a while. But on the other side of the review coin, it's somewhat predictable, more than a little bit contrived and the rush to the finish line, so to speak, was more like a mad sprint.
It begins when newbie attorney Teddy Mack, who wants nothing to do with criminal law in part because of his family history, is ordered by his boss to take the lead in his firm's defense of a man who's been charged with a gruesome murder. The task, it seems, is to get a plea bargain that takes the death penalty off the table and allows the mentally challenged defendant to get professional help (and, in the process, get the whole thing swept under the rug).
Although he really doesn't "get" it, Teddy adopts the "ours is not to reason why" philosophy that will keep his paychecks coming so he can pay down his student loans from law school. But then, a grisly murder of another woman - one who physically resembles the first - is discovered, and Teddy's client is believed to be responsible for that one as well. On top of that, the prosecutor is a hard-driving, take-no prisoners criminal attorney who's practically a shoe-in to become the city's next mayor.
As the facts (and still other murders) emerge, Teddy begins to question his client's guilt - but others question why Teddy is confused. That's when some of the contrived situations begin to pop up - as well as the "You're kidding, right?" incidents such as when Teddy inserts a disc in someone else's computer and, in doing so, "copied it to his hard drive" (or so the book claims). Um, no, I unless there's some technology out there of which I'm not aware, I think he'll need to put the disc to which the information was copied into his own computer before that can happen. In the end, all of that added up to result in a slightly lower score - but if you're looking for a quick, relatively interesting thriller, you can do a lot worse.
And make no mistake, it's a pretty good read; the story moves along quickly, stays interesting most of the way and I was eager to pick it back up after life's other tasks forced me to stop for a while. But on the other side of the review coin, it's somewhat predictable, more than a little bit contrived and the rush to the finish line, so to speak, was more like a mad sprint.
It begins when newbie attorney Teddy Mack, who wants nothing to do with criminal law in part because of his family history, is ordered by his boss to take the lead in his firm's defense of a man who's been charged with a gruesome murder. The task, it seems, is to get a plea bargain that takes the death penalty off the table and allows the mentally challenged defendant to get professional help (and, in the process, get the whole thing swept under the rug).
Although he really doesn't "get" it, Teddy adopts the "ours is not to reason why" philosophy that will keep his paychecks coming so he can pay down his student loans from law school. But then, a grisly murder of another woman - one who physically resembles the first - is discovered, and Teddy's client is believed to be responsible for that one as well. On top of that, the prosecutor is a hard-driving, take-no prisoners criminal attorney who's practically a shoe-in to become the city's next mayor.
As the facts (and still other murders) emerge, Teddy begins to question his client's guilt - but others question why Teddy is confused. That's when some of the contrived situations begin to pop up - as well as the "You're kidding, right?" incidents such as when Teddy inserts a disc in someone else's computer and, in doing so, "copied it to his hard drive" (or so the book claims). Um, no, I unless there's some technology out there of which I'm not aware, I think he'll need to put the disc to which the information was copied into his own computer before that can happen. In the end, all of that added up to result in a slightly lower score - but if you're looking for a quick, relatively interesting thriller, you can do a lot worse.
May 25, 2012
I don't find a lot of thrillers that have something to SAY but this book certainly does. The premise is your basic serial killer thriller, but there is a lot more going on here than just a gory thriller. And yes, there is a significant amount of GORE (but how do you kill people in a non-gory way???).
This book is more about the justice system than about anything else. Corrupt officials sending innocent people to prison and ultimately to their deaths, and the people trying to stop this kind of thing. And there is no way for me to talk about the theme without giving shit away, so SPOILERS AHEAD.
The corrupt DA turns out to be way more corrupt than you initially expect. Like willing to bump people off corrupt, which I found to be far fetched and unnecessary to the plot. In fact, it was distracting and detracted from the point the book is making. Because don't misunderstand, this book wants to make a damn point. Our legal system is fucked up and bad shit happens to good people because the public just wants to think they are safe. And of course that desire to feel "safe" makes cops and DAs under an extreme amount of pressure which fosters a willingness to break/bend the rules. Ultimately, we are ALL responsible for wrongful arrests, convictions and deaths. Its a heavy thing to bring into a thriller, but Ellis is right.
And either Ellis is against the death penalty or he just REALLY wants you to think critically about it, because no one in this book gets put to death for what they actually did. I wonder if the PUADP has officially endorsed this book (or maybe the innocence project)...
But its not that cut and dry, because the "good" guy isn't so great either. In the end he decides that the ends justify the means of setting up the DA for a crime he didn't commit. Like he couldn't learn from what he was trying to fight against and decided that he'd just make the same mistakes. Also unnecessary and over the top.
And yet, this managed to be a great book. The pacing was quick, a whole lot happened and even though you could see the ending coming a mile away you still wanted to take the journey.
This book is more about the justice system than about anything else. Corrupt officials sending innocent people to prison and ultimately to their deaths, and the people trying to stop this kind of thing. And there is no way for me to talk about the theme without giving shit away, so SPOILERS AHEAD.
The corrupt DA turns out to be way more corrupt than you initially expect. Like willing to bump people off corrupt, which I found to be far fetched and unnecessary to the plot. In fact, it was distracting and detracted from the point the book is making. Because don't misunderstand, this book wants to make a damn point. Our legal system is fucked up and bad shit happens to good people because the public just wants to think they are safe. And of course that desire to feel "safe" makes cops and DAs under an extreme amount of pressure which fosters a willingness to break/bend the rules. Ultimately, we are ALL responsible for wrongful arrests, convictions and deaths. Its a heavy thing to bring into a thriller, but Ellis is right.
And either Ellis is against the death penalty or he just REALLY wants you to think critically about it, because no one in this book gets put to death for what they actually did. I wonder if the PUADP has officially endorsed this book (or maybe the innocence project)...
But its not that cut and dry, because the "good" guy isn't so great either. In the end he decides that the ends justify the means of setting up the DA for a crime he didn't commit. Like he couldn't learn from what he was trying to fight against and decided that he'd just make the same mistakes. Also unnecessary and over the top.
And yet, this managed to be a great book. The pacing was quick, a whole lot happened and even though you could see the ending coming a mile away you still wanted to take the journey.
September 16, 2016
Good and bad book..
I loved the Matt Jones books by this author but this one, not so much. Teddy was just a nothing kind of hero. He was afraid of too many things. And WTH is it with smoking? I’m going to assume the author smokes Marlboros, that’s why Matt Jones and Teddy Mack do, too. Smoking is not necessary. Just sayin.’
That said, it was a decent story. I did feel sorry for Oscar Holmes, and Darlene didn’t deserve what happened to her but she did deserve to have her ass kicked for being such a slutty teen.
And, Wow, the bad guy was really sick, and so was his art. Not only is his killing crazy so is his thoughts that the satellite dish on his neighbor’s house was there to watch and listen to him. And the amount of drugs he took was just incredible. What a total whack-job he was, BUT what a great bad guy he was. He was written perfectly!
There was no sex in this story but there was swearing and the F-bomb was used 40 times.
*********BUT I gotta tell ya' this book had the most ridiculous ending I’ve ever read. 3 reviewers said it was a cliffhanger but I don’t believe that. I think the author just wanted to leave people hanging and wondering and that’s what he did. I read somewhere this book was the lead-in to the Lena Gamble series but I find that hard to believe too, unless it took 4 years to finish that lead-in book. I was soooo disappointed in the END of this book it’s not even funny. It’s not a cliffhanger it just has no ending. I don’t think I’ll read anything more from this author. I don’t like authors who just end books for no rhyme or reason.*********
As to the narration: Jim McCance has a deep voice so you can imagine how bad it is when a woman speaks in that same deep voice of his. He made little attempt to try to sound feminine. He did all the men’s voices with distinction, and he did them all very well. However, if you’re going to read the entire book sounding like a man, no matter who’s talking, you ruin the book itself.
I loved the Matt Jones books by this author but this one, not so much. Teddy was just a nothing kind of hero. He was afraid of too many things. And WTH is it with smoking? I’m going to assume the author smokes Marlboros, that’s why Matt Jones and Teddy Mack do, too. Smoking is not necessary. Just sayin.’
That said, it was a decent story. I did feel sorry for Oscar Holmes, and Darlene didn’t deserve what happened to her but she did deserve to have her ass kicked for being such a slutty teen.
And, Wow, the bad guy was really sick, and so was his art. Not only is his killing crazy so is his thoughts that the satellite dish on his neighbor’s house was there to watch and listen to him. And the amount of drugs he took was just incredible. What a total whack-job he was, BUT what a great bad guy he was. He was written perfectly!
There was no sex in this story but there was swearing and the F-bomb was used 40 times.
*********BUT I gotta tell ya' this book had the most ridiculous ending I’ve ever read. 3 reviewers said it was a cliffhanger but I don’t believe that. I think the author just wanted to leave people hanging and wondering and that’s what he did. I read somewhere this book was the lead-in to the Lena Gamble series but I find that hard to believe too, unless it took 4 years to finish that lead-in book. I was soooo disappointed in the END of this book it’s not even funny. It’s not a cliffhanger it just has no ending. I don’t think I’ll read anything more from this author. I don’t like authors who just end books for no rhyme or reason.*********
As to the narration: Jim McCance has a deep voice so you can imagine how bad it is when a woman speaks in that same deep voice of his. He made little attempt to try to sound feminine. He did all the men’s voices with distinction, and he did them all very well. However, if you’re going to read the entire book sounding like a man, no matter who’s talking, you ruin the book itself.
January 1, 2015
There were several sections of this book that just didn't make any sense to me. I can't delve into them all, for if I did, it would spoil the story for others. However, I will say this, I've never known a corporate attorney turned defense attorney turned working with the prosecution and everything else in between. Teddy Mack studied to be a corporate lawyer, which is what he wished to practice, until his boss, Barnett asks him for a favor. Although I know most attorneys learn every aspect of law, but specialize in the field they plan to practice, it just didn't seem right that Teddy turned into a defense lawyer.
Of course, Teddy had help from a seasoned criminal defense lawyer, but the troubles that followed Teddy, as the case moves on, just didn't seem logical to me. And one thing that truly bothered me was a certain detective's name, who was named after a very famous person that most everyone in the world knows. There's something the author consistently used when bringing up this detective's name, and it drove me insane. Also I was so tired of the characters who smoked that the reader had to be smoking right along with them. It was mentioned way too much and became bothersome. Unfortunately, this was not my kind of legal book, but it wasn't a super bad read either. I found a lot of loaded words and sections that could have been done away. I felt the author didn't edit himself in some chapters and then when I needed more of an explanation, I didn't feel I got it.
Like I said, it's not a bad read, but just wasn't my kind of legal novel. It was tough for me to finish.
Of course, Teddy had help from a seasoned criminal defense lawyer, but the troubles that followed Teddy, as the case moves on, just didn't seem logical to me. And one thing that truly bothered me was a certain detective's name, who was named after a very famous person that most everyone in the world knows. There's something the author consistently used when bringing up this detective's name, and it drove me insane. Also I was so tired of the characters who smoked that the reader had to be smoking right along with them. It was mentioned way too much and became bothersome. Unfortunately, this was not my kind of legal book, but it wasn't a super bad read either. I found a lot of loaded words and sections that could have been done away. I felt the author didn't edit himself in some chapters and then when I needed more of an explanation, I didn't feel I got it.
Like I said, it's not a bad read, but just wasn't my kind of legal novel. It was tough for me to finish.
July 25, 2012
This book had me hooked by the second chapter, and kept me on the edge of my seat until the final page. The pace of the story, and the twists and turns the plot takes are nothing short of extraordinary. Some of the scenes can be gruesome and disturbing, but its not written in poor taste and only adds to the intensity of the plot. This is not a book that can be read a chapter at a time at a leisurely pace! Once you pick it up you will have a hard time putting it down. This is the first Robert Ellis novel I have tried, and I can say I am a HUGE fan already.
March 20, 2016
I really liked this book. The story was exciting and captivating, and the murders twisted and gory.
The characters are really well developed and there are some twists and turns in the plot along the way.
I listenend to the audio version of this book, narrated by Jim McCance. I have had mixed experiences with audiobooks before, a bad narrator can easily ruin a good book for me. In this case it was the cherry on the top, McCance brings the story to life and does a great job in creating the right atmosphere for the book.
Would highly recommend this book, especially as an audiobook!
The characters are really well developed and there are some twists and turns in the plot along the way.
I listenend to the audio version of this book, narrated by Jim McCance. I have had mixed experiences with audiobooks before, a bad narrator can easily ruin a good book for me. In this case it was the cherry on the top, McCance brings the story to life and does a great job in creating the right atmosphere for the book.
Would highly recommend this book, especially as an audiobook!
June 28, 2013
My first time reading anything from this author I enjoyed it, especially the twist at the end. I look forward to reading more.
April 3, 2021
This was an interesting story and it's been gathering dust on my Kindle for some years now.....I enjoyed the tale itself but it is chock-full of mistakes, which has spoilt the whole for me.
It has a peculiar ending as well, like it's been left hanging for a sequel. However, I've checked and it wasn't the beginning of a series but a stand-alone !! I would have picked up a follow-up to this book but probably wouldn't rush to buy more by him because of the lack of editing and awful presentation. (Although, this WAS an earlier offering by him so I'd like to think things have improved on that front, too).
He created a nice character with principles in Teddy Mack and I liked him. There are a lot of twists 'n' turns throughout with a couple of very shocking events as well. Does hold your interest. However, there is a lot of Teddy checking temperatures for some reason.....I had assumed there was a reason for this but not so.....and I made note of this on page 41, so had over 300 more to go at this point !!
However, those mistakes......Super Glue is a trademark and so is Mace and ought to be capitalised.
There were a lot of missed-off commas, then question marks and TONS of misplaced apostrophes. He got it wrong each and every time he wrote plurals......it got to be really tiresome highlighting them as I went along. A lot of words got missed from sentences, too. Then spaces were needlessly plonked into words when they're usually written as one, like wise crack or often times or fault line or pin pricks or ass wipe then runover needed a space for variation.
Misspellings as well, some which made me gasp......like bearing and not baring, phased not fazed, canon not cannon and taught not taut (!!) which really shouldn't have made it through any proofreading exercise !!
Anyway, the story was good, editing frightful so a 3* seems fair to me for this one.
It has a peculiar ending as well, like it's been left hanging for a sequel. However, I've checked and it wasn't the beginning of a series but a stand-alone !! I would have picked up a follow-up to this book but probably wouldn't rush to buy more by him because of the lack of editing and awful presentation. (Although, this WAS an earlier offering by him so I'd like to think things have improved on that front, too).
He created a nice character with principles in Teddy Mack and I liked him. There are a lot of twists 'n' turns throughout with a couple of very shocking events as well. Does hold your interest. However, there is a lot of Teddy checking temperatures for some reason.....I had assumed there was a reason for this but not so.....and I made note of this on page 41, so had over 300 more to go at this point !!
However, those mistakes......Super Glue is a trademark and so is Mace and ought to be capitalised.
There were a lot of missed-off commas, then question marks and TONS of misplaced apostrophes. He got it wrong each and every time he wrote plurals......it got to be really tiresome highlighting them as I went along. A lot of words got missed from sentences, too. Then spaces were needlessly plonked into words when they're usually written as one, like wise crack or often times or fault line or pin pricks or ass wipe then runover needed a space for variation.
Misspellings as well, some which made me gasp......like bearing and not baring, phased not fazed, canon not cannon and taught not taut (!!) which really shouldn't have made it through any proofreading exercise !!
Anyway, the story was good, editing frightful so a 3* seems fair to me for this one.
May 10, 2017
This story is rather graphic in a few details but that doesn't bother me. Teddy Mac's father was falsely accused of killing his real estate business partner and was murdered in prison bringing an end to Teddy's idyllic childhood. He went to law school specifically to become a real estate lawyer but his boss sends him in to see a young postman/artist who has been accused of murdering a rich family's daughter. Teddy will find that this young man is not a "friend of the family" but actually his boss' troubled brother-in-law. His boss wants to get the DA to do a deal to take the death penalty off the table and get the brother in law to accept a plea to life with no parole to be spent in a mental hospital.
Teddy is disturbed by this when he discovers that the accused is likely innocent. He risks his own life to find out the truth as more bodies are found.
This was an exciting read but the author has a way of adding too many stories and unneeded storylines to his books. I took a star off because of the last few chapters, set 6 years after the end of the real story. It turned a hero in the book into a slimy evil creature for no reason, it made a fine character devoted to justice create an injustice and then left readers hanging. It's still a good read but be prepared for some frustration at the end.
Teddy is disturbed by this when he discovers that the accused is likely innocent. He risks his own life to find out the truth as more bodies are found.
This was an exciting read but the author has a way of adding too many stories and unneeded storylines to his books. I took a star off because of the last few chapters, set 6 years after the end of the real story. It turned a hero in the book into a slimy evil creature for no reason, it made a fine character devoted to justice create an injustice and then left readers hanging. It's still a good read but be prepared for some frustration at the end.
July 14, 2017
When the police receive reports of a man covered in blood running away from a house, they find the brutally murdered body of Darlene Lewis. Although not a criminal lawyer, one of the senior partners of the law firm asks Teddy Mack to represent the man, Holmes, after he was arrested for the murder. As Teddy looks into the sickening case, he comes to the conclusion that although Holmes is very disturbed, he's innocent of this killing.
Meanwhile, DA Alan Andrews will stop at nothing to get a conviction, even twisting the truth to make himself look good - and even more so after the discovery of another body. But he isn't the only one to tell lies and go out of his way to cover up secrets.
If you are looking for a book full of twists and turns right up to the very last page, then this is the one for you. I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller and have no hesitation in recommending it.
Meanwhile, DA Alan Andrews will stop at nothing to get a conviction, even twisting the truth to make himself look good - and even more so after the discovery of another body. But he isn't the only one to tell lies and go out of his way to cover up secrets.
If you are looking for a book full of twists and turns right up to the very last page, then this is the one for you. I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller and have no hesitation in recommending it.
October 23, 2018
Great read! Suspenseful to the end!
December 9, 2021
REVIEW OF RELISTEN; DECEMBER 7, 2021
I did not enjoy this as much as I did the first time I listened to it 6 years ago. It was not until the last quarter of the book that I felt hooked. Until then, I was impatient for it to end and was tempted, a few times, to give up and listen to something else.
And the part where Teddy takes off to find Eddie, if this had been a Romantic Suspense, Teddy would have been classified with those romance heroines we love to bash - those TSTL ones who rush headlong into danger when specifically told to stay put, or who go on to confront the killer without waiting for back up. Teddy explains why he did not wait despite knowing back up was on the way but I wasn't mollified. I get very annoyed with authors who make their protagonists do dumb things just so they can put their H/h in danger and ratchet up the suspense.
Update: In my previous review below, I'd said the book doesn't say how Holmes got his face and teeth bloody. It does say so in the book - towards the end Holmes explains it.
========================================
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; AUGUST 11, 2015
Narrator: Jim McCance
I have questions at the end of the book but am giving this audiobook 5 stars for sheer entertainment value, keeping me interested from start and, going by the open-ended ending, this was just the introduction to a new series.
Set in Philadelphia, Teddy Mack in a rookie lawyer with some serious baggage. Good thing is that he's single and not in a relationship so I didn't have that to aggravate me since every romantic interest in these crime/thriller books serve only to add to the protagonists' troubles. Mack is propelled into a criminal defense case by his boss, much to his chagrin, as he has absolutely no interest in that branch of the business, desiring to build a career in real estate law.
Mack finds himself defending Oscar Holmes in what seems like an open-and-shut case. The evidence stacked up against Holmes makes it near-irrefutable that he killed Darlene Lewis in a horrific way. When a neighbor calls the cops, Holmes is found with his face covered thickly with blood. There's even blood between his teeth. Holmes, however, insists he is innocent. He is also a little intellectually-challenged so he can't explain how his face was covered with blood and how the murder weapon was found in his mailbag.
I was thinking this was going to be another run-o-the-mill legal thriller about how Mack proves Holmes was framed and in many ways it is. Except, run-o-the-mill or not, I was hugely entertained by Ellis' storytelling and did not wander off as I often do with audiobooks when the story flags. This book maintained its speed and I wasn't bored at any time.
That said, I was trying to find where it explained Holmes' bloody face and teeth but that's never explicitly explained. I had to assume the killer did it. While that may be obvious in hindsight, after I've finished the book, I prefer that the author explain or clarify something as important as this.
As a lot happens in this 12-hour audiobook, it's likely I will relisten to this one day. McCance's narrating skills are excellent and I like his deep voice as well as the differentiation he gave to the secondary characters. There were many times I thought there was a second narrator as McCance was able to switch between Mack and another very deftly in a dialogue.
I'm probably in the minority to like the way Ellis ended this book. The last few chapters were like a epilogue which wrapped things up during the ensuing six years after the main story arc ends. We learn what happens in Mack's life and career in those six tumultuous years following the events that led to Holmes' freedom but unlike most epilogues, these final chapters contain more twists and turns I've come to expect.
It was 12 hours well-spent, and I'm looking forward to the next installment as Mack settles down in his career as a defense attorney in criminal law.
I have not read Ellis' Lena Gamble series but if The Dead Room is anything to go by, I should check his LAPD police procedural series out.
I did not enjoy this as much as I did the first time I listened to it 6 years ago. It was not until the last quarter of the book that I felt hooked. Until then, I was impatient for it to end and was tempted, a few times, to give up and listen to something else.
And the part where Teddy takes off to find Eddie, if this had been a Romantic Suspense, Teddy would have been classified with those romance heroines we love to bash - those TSTL ones who rush headlong into danger when specifically told to stay put, or who go on to confront the killer without waiting for back up. Teddy explains why he did not wait despite knowing back up was on the way but I wasn't mollified. I get very annoyed with authors who make their protagonists do dumb things just so they can put their H/h in danger and ratchet up the suspense.
Update: In my previous review below, I'd said the book doesn't say how Holmes got his face and teeth bloody. It does say so in the book - towards the end Holmes explains it.
========================================
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; AUGUST 11, 2015
Narrator: Jim McCance
I have questions at the end of the book but am giving this audiobook 5 stars for sheer entertainment value, keeping me interested from start and, going by the open-ended ending, this was just the introduction to a new series.
Set in Philadelphia, Teddy Mack in a rookie lawyer with some serious baggage. Good thing is that he's single and not in a relationship so I didn't have that to aggravate me since every romantic interest in these crime/thriller books serve only to add to the protagonists' troubles. Mack is propelled into a criminal defense case by his boss, much to his chagrin, as he has absolutely no interest in that branch of the business, desiring to build a career in real estate law.
Mack finds himself defending Oscar Holmes in what seems like an open-and-shut case. The evidence stacked up against Holmes makes it near-irrefutable that he killed Darlene Lewis in a horrific way. When a neighbor calls the cops, Holmes is found with his face covered thickly with blood. There's even blood between his teeth. Holmes, however, insists he is innocent. He is also a little intellectually-challenged so he can't explain how his face was covered with blood and how the murder weapon was found in his mailbag.
I was thinking this was going to be another run-o-the-mill legal thriller about how Mack proves Holmes was framed and in many ways it is. Except, run-o-the-mill or not, I was hugely entertained by Ellis' storytelling and did not wander off as I often do with audiobooks when the story flags. This book maintained its speed and I wasn't bored at any time.
That said, I was trying to find where it explained Holmes' bloody face and teeth but that's never explicitly explained. I had to assume the killer did it. While that may be obvious in hindsight, after I've finished the book, I prefer that the author explain or clarify something as important as this.
As a lot happens in this 12-hour audiobook, it's likely I will relisten to this one day. McCance's narrating skills are excellent and I like his deep voice as well as the differentiation he gave to the secondary characters. There were many times I thought there was a second narrator as McCance was able to switch between Mack and another very deftly in a dialogue.
I'm probably in the minority to like the way Ellis ended this book. The last few chapters were like a epilogue which wrapped things up during the ensuing six years after the main story arc ends. We learn what happens in Mack's life and career in those six tumultuous years following the events that led to Holmes' freedom but unlike most epilogues, these final chapters contain more twists and turns I've come to expect.
It was 12 hours well-spent, and I'm looking forward to the next installment as Mack settles down in his career as a defense attorney in criminal law.
I have not read Ellis' Lena Gamble series but if The Dead Room is anything to go by, I should check his LAPD police procedural series out.
January 4, 2019
In his second thriller, L.A. Times Best-Selling author Robert Ellis builds up the homicide of a young girl into a case of serial murders. It’s up to real estate lawyer Teddy Mack to swoop in and navigate his way through the trial to end a madman’s reign of terror.
[Spoilers ahead – read at your own risk]
Ellis kicks off the thriller with a PG-13 introduction to Darlene Lewis, who is admiring her body in a Victoria’s Secret night gown before deciding to tease her voyeuristic mailman, Oscar Holmes, for some sort of narcissistic indulgence.
Alternating to our main character, real estate lawyer Teddy Mack is summoned by the head of his law firm for a favor. His boss, Jim Barnett, appoints Teddy the case of Lewis’ murder, to defend the prime suspect, Holmes. Although it’s not necessarily his area of practice, our protagonist takes on the case.
Within this second chapter, we’re introduced to other characters who will continue to serve importance to the plot throughout the story, as well.
I have to admit, I am definitely impressed by the accuracy of The Dead Room in capturing the Philadelphia area and surrounding suburbs. Unsurprisingly, the author himself was born in the city of brotherly love. Still, Ellis goes as far as relaying the names of actual streets within the counties bordering Philadelphia.
Keep in mind, The Dead Room was published in 2002, a time before the popularization of Google and just before the launch of Google Maps in 2005.
However, accuracy seems to trail off a bit in the more grotesque details. While I understand this is fiction and I whole-heartedly encourage Ellis to fully flesh out the inner workings of his imagination, I can’t help but raise an eyebrow in wrapping my head around the idea of a serial killer harvesting tattoos and sealing them onto canvas to serve as graffiti in his paintings.
In fact, there’s quite a bit about Eddie Trisco III I have some trouble accepting, but he is a madman displaying symptoms of very severe schizophrenia, after all.
It is worth noting Ellis never once names a condition for Trisco. Many of his delusions seem to be drug-induced, however other characters throughout the book note he had seemed just a tad bit… off, even prior to his history of drug-abuse.
As the story unfolds, bodies of young, beautiful women continue to turn up, accompanied by disappearances of Rosemary Gibb and the owner of a cafe Trisco frequented. In spite of this, overlapping interests and character quirks continue to paint the peeping-tom mailman Oscar Holmes as guilty. You can’t help but feel awful for his position and grow to detest the prosecutor, Alan Andrews, as well as his entire team.
Speaking of the prosecuting team, Andrews’ lead detective is a man by the name of Michael Jackson. I suppose this is intended to add a twinkle of humor in an otherwise dark and dreary tale, considering the author feels the need to say, the detective, not the dancer almost every.single.time he is mentioned until just before the end of The Dead Room. This bit just rubbed me as corny and unnecessary, but I will begrudgingly admit it squeezed an annoyed giggle or two out of me… Mission accomplished, Ellis?
After a good two hundred and some pages, things are really looking up for Holmes and his defense team. Teddy Mack gets his hands dirty with some firsthand investigations of the case. Drawing from a family tragedy in his adolescence, his judge of character, and wit, Teddy capitalizes on key details to hone in on the true killer behind over a dozen serial murders, Eddie Trisco III.
In a series of a events, the book climaxes with Andrews murdering Trisco and firing a non-fatal shot towards our hero, Teddy Mack.
In it’s resolution, Andrews is sentenced to a death penalty after a laboring six year case on the account of murdering Trisco, concealing evidence, and attempts at Teddy’s life.
While I found it somewhat out of character that Teddy Mack saw through Andrews’ execution, the book could’ve ended right there. Yes, a few questions would’ve gone unanswered, but I still hold that it is better than how they are handled in the final chapter.
In just a few pages (five pages in my copy of The Dead Room, although I imagine this may vary from print to print), chapter Seventy-Six wraps up this murder mystery in an anti-climactic final twist.
Although Ellis spent over 400 pages painting prosecutor Alan Andrews as a downright despicable and slimy villain, we find out the real greaseball here is in fact Teddy’s mentor, Nash.
I will admit, this is very much in line with his character. Although Nash is generally depicted as a good guy, his manipulative nature does leave a bitter taste in the reader’s mouth, hindsight. As we find out Nash played a hand in the wrongful execution of Teddy’s father during his formative years, Nash explains he’s mentored Teddy throughout the years in an attempt to cleanse himself of the guilt.
We also come to find Nash was the really one who killed Trisco, not Andrews. He was also responsible for insuring Teddy found the body of Valerie Kram, as well as puppet-mastering other very subtle yet essential components of the trials against both Trisco and Andrews.
Despite this ending aligning with who Nash is as a character and providing an explanation to a few hanging questions, I found it very unnecessary. Yes, The Dead Room is brimming with plot-twists – but Ellis did a wonderful job foreshadowing and providing proper context with each well-timed twist.
This ending felt rushed, forced, almost lazy. If Ellis had spent more time demonizing Nash or building up to this final kicker, I believe it may have read slightly better. Still, I can’t help but hold this ending just feels… off and untimely.
In Conclusion…
L.A. Times Best Selling Author Robert Ellis encapsulates the reader in a world of injustice, and twists, defined by geographical accuracy, gut-wrenching gore, and light-adult themes.
With each chapter, the reader can’t help but find themselves further invested in the life of Teddy Mack and the political injustice clouding his career as a lawyer.
Although I’m not one for fiction myself, there were times I became genuinely fascinated by the case and the ways in which it unraveled. I found myself rooting for Teddy and feeling sorry for characters such as Oscar Holmes.
The narrative remains consistent, with timely plot-twists keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until it loses it’s footing a bit in the final chapter.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I insisted on rescuing The Dead Room from the side of the road in the heart of Pennsyltucky, but I can’t say I regret adding this thriller to my collection of books.
I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to recommend The Dead Room to others, but if you happen to stumble upon a copy during a road trip of your own, it’s worth coming to a stop to swoop up yourself.
As for a rating? I give this book three out of five horse-n-buggies.
Interested in reading the full review? Head on over to The Burgundy Zine!
[Spoilers ahead – read at your own risk]
Ellis kicks off the thriller with a PG-13 introduction to Darlene Lewis, who is admiring her body in a Victoria’s Secret night gown before deciding to tease her voyeuristic mailman, Oscar Holmes, for some sort of narcissistic indulgence.
Alternating to our main character, real estate lawyer Teddy Mack is summoned by the head of his law firm for a favor. His boss, Jim Barnett, appoints Teddy the case of Lewis’ murder, to defend the prime suspect, Holmes. Although it’s not necessarily his area of practice, our protagonist takes on the case.
Within this second chapter, we’re introduced to other characters who will continue to serve importance to the plot throughout the story, as well.
I have to admit, I am definitely impressed by the accuracy of The Dead Room in capturing the Philadelphia area and surrounding suburbs. Unsurprisingly, the author himself was born in the city of brotherly love. Still, Ellis goes as far as relaying the names of actual streets within the counties bordering Philadelphia.
Keep in mind, The Dead Room was published in 2002, a time before the popularization of Google and just before the launch of Google Maps in 2005.
However, accuracy seems to trail off a bit in the more grotesque details. While I understand this is fiction and I whole-heartedly encourage Ellis to fully flesh out the inner workings of his imagination, I can’t help but raise an eyebrow in wrapping my head around the idea of a serial killer harvesting tattoos and sealing them onto canvas to serve as graffiti in his paintings.
In fact, there’s quite a bit about Eddie Trisco III I have some trouble accepting, but he is a madman displaying symptoms of very severe schizophrenia, after all.
It is worth noting Ellis never once names a condition for Trisco. Many of his delusions seem to be drug-induced, however other characters throughout the book note he had seemed just a tad bit… off, even prior to his history of drug-abuse.
As the story unfolds, bodies of young, beautiful women continue to turn up, accompanied by disappearances of Rosemary Gibb and the owner of a cafe Trisco frequented. In spite of this, overlapping interests and character quirks continue to paint the peeping-tom mailman Oscar Holmes as guilty. You can’t help but feel awful for his position and grow to detest the prosecutor, Alan Andrews, as well as his entire team.
Speaking of the prosecuting team, Andrews’ lead detective is a man by the name of Michael Jackson. I suppose this is intended to add a twinkle of humor in an otherwise dark and dreary tale, considering the author feels the need to say, the detective, not the dancer almost every.single.time he is mentioned until just before the end of The Dead Room. This bit just rubbed me as corny and unnecessary, but I will begrudgingly admit it squeezed an annoyed giggle or two out of me… Mission accomplished, Ellis?
After a good two hundred and some pages, things are really looking up for Holmes and his defense team. Teddy Mack gets his hands dirty with some firsthand investigations of the case. Drawing from a family tragedy in his adolescence, his judge of character, and wit, Teddy capitalizes on key details to hone in on the true killer behind over a dozen serial murders, Eddie Trisco III.
In a series of a events, the book climaxes with Andrews murdering Trisco and firing a non-fatal shot towards our hero, Teddy Mack.
In it’s resolution, Andrews is sentenced to a death penalty after a laboring six year case on the account of murdering Trisco, concealing evidence, and attempts at Teddy’s life.
While I found it somewhat out of character that Teddy Mack saw through Andrews’ execution, the book could’ve ended right there. Yes, a few questions would’ve gone unanswered, but I still hold that it is better than how they are handled in the final chapter.
In just a few pages (five pages in my copy of The Dead Room, although I imagine this may vary from print to print), chapter Seventy-Six wraps up this murder mystery in an anti-climactic final twist.
Although Ellis spent over 400 pages painting prosecutor Alan Andrews as a downright despicable and slimy villain, we find out the real greaseball here is in fact Teddy’s mentor, Nash.
I will admit, this is very much in line with his character. Although Nash is generally depicted as a good guy, his manipulative nature does leave a bitter taste in the reader’s mouth, hindsight. As we find out Nash played a hand in the wrongful execution of Teddy’s father during his formative years, Nash explains he’s mentored Teddy throughout the years in an attempt to cleanse himself of the guilt.
We also come to find Nash was the really one who killed Trisco, not Andrews. He was also responsible for insuring Teddy found the body of Valerie Kram, as well as puppet-mastering other very subtle yet essential components of the trials against both Trisco and Andrews.
Despite this ending aligning with who Nash is as a character and providing an explanation to a few hanging questions, I found it very unnecessary. Yes, The Dead Room is brimming with plot-twists – but Ellis did a wonderful job foreshadowing and providing proper context with each well-timed twist.
This ending felt rushed, forced, almost lazy. If Ellis had spent more time demonizing Nash or building up to this final kicker, I believe it may have read slightly better. Still, I can’t help but hold this ending just feels… off and untimely.
In Conclusion…
L.A. Times Best Selling Author Robert Ellis encapsulates the reader in a world of injustice, and twists, defined by geographical accuracy, gut-wrenching gore, and light-adult themes.
With each chapter, the reader can’t help but find themselves further invested in the life of Teddy Mack and the political injustice clouding his career as a lawyer.
Although I’m not one for fiction myself, there were times I became genuinely fascinated by the case and the ways in which it unraveled. I found myself rooting for Teddy and feeling sorry for characters such as Oscar Holmes.
The narrative remains consistent, with timely plot-twists keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until it loses it’s footing a bit in the final chapter.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I insisted on rescuing The Dead Room from the side of the road in the heart of Pennsyltucky, but I can’t say I regret adding this thriller to my collection of books.
I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to recommend The Dead Room to others, but if you happen to stumble upon a copy during a road trip of your own, it’s worth coming to a stop to swoop up yourself.
As for a rating? I give this book three out of five horse-n-buggies.
Interested in reading the full review? Head on over to The Burgundy Zine!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2014
The Dead Room by Robert Ellis grabbed me from the first scene and didn't let go. The story begins with the murder of a teen girl. A lawyer named Teddy Mack, a real estate lawyer none-the-less, is assigned to defend the killer. As Teddy begins his quest for answers, the story unfolds through twists and turns that left me guessing in every chapter.
The book is filled with lies and corruption, and what's at stake when politicians are involved and cover the truth. This book is more than just a fictional thriller, it digs deeper into the human emotions and gives a direct display of the real killer, a true sociopath.
I love books like this, that are filled with richly developed characters where each scene brings more and more the the life of the story. Overall, I found this to be a fantastic read.
The book is filled with lies and corruption, and what's at stake when politicians are involved and cover the truth. This book is more than just a fictional thriller, it digs deeper into the human emotions and gives a direct display of the real killer, a true sociopath.
I love books like this, that are filled with richly developed characters where each scene brings more and more the the life of the story. Overall, I found this to be a fantastic read.
May 17, 2014
The Dead Room is pretty intense, well structured and features a likeable reluctant hero. A young lawyer gets sucked into a gruesome murder tale and is forced to face his own demons along the way. I enjoyed the plot, nice twists. It was one of those novels where layer upon layer is revealed and where you as the reader begin to worry. With all those twists, turns, discoveries, red herrings ... will the author be able to keep it up until the end - or will it fall apart? I won't give it away, of course, but unfortunately I have to say the neither of the two final reveals where a revelation - it just went where you don't want it to end up, with a feeling of way too contrived. That's why only the three points - for the most part it is well written, crafted and enjoyable.
April 1, 2014
This crime mystery is truly worthy of the title "thriller." The protagonist is a neophyte real estate lawyer, the son of an innocent man who was imprisoned and ultimately murdered by another inmate in prison. His firm accepts a client who is charged with capital murder, and despite his inexperience he is talked into representing him. Eventually he partners up with a man who runs an innocence project at a Philadelphia university, and together they battle coverups, conspiracies, corruption, and a rogue district attorney. Suspense, realistic scenarios, personal glimpses of human strife & interaction, as well as a truly surprising ending. I'll look for more from this author.
July 29, 2016
Ich hab das Buch nur so verschlungen! 449 Seiten und erst kurz vor der letzten Seite stellt sich heraus, wer der wirkliche Täter ist .. unglaubliches Buch!
Da AmazonCrossing dieses Buch herausgebracht hat, kann man es leider nicht beim Buchhändler finden. Bin außerdem so ziemlich geschockt über manch eine Rezension auf Amazon, die ich persönlich überhaupt garnicht vertreten und verstehen kann... Das Buch war für mich genau das Gegenteil von langweilig!
Da AmazonCrossing dieses Buch herausgebracht hat, kann man es leider nicht beim Buchhändler finden. Bin außerdem so ziemlich geschockt über manch eine Rezension auf Amazon, die ich persönlich überhaupt garnicht vertreten und verstehen kann... Das Buch war für mich genau das Gegenteil von langweilig!
October 15, 2018
I was going to give it 3 stars until I read the end and I just couldn’t. To be fair, this book definitely held my attention at times...but then something ridiculous would happen or someone would say something that made me giggle and I just couldn’t decide whether or not to take it seriously.
I think the weirdest character was Michael Jackson. Not the dancer!!! Who refers to Michael Jackson as a dancer? Did anyone else find that weird?
I think the weirdest character was Michael Jackson. Not the dancer!!! Who refers to Michael Jackson as a dancer? Did anyone else find that weird?
August 28, 2016
Thought the book was exciting, a young lawyer is convinced his client is innocent even when the client is not sure. Lots of action and corruption. Have not read this author before but will read more, hope he brings this character back in a book!
February 28, 2023
Mind bending! Heart pounding!
This is one of the excellent mystery , thriller i have read. Very interesting characters. Its been a long time since i have read a mind-boggling novel.
This is one of the excellent mystery , thriller i have read. Very interesting characters. Its been a long time since i have read a mind-boggling novel.
October 29, 2015
GREAT crime/mystery thriller. Much better than Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in my opinion. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
September 4, 2015
Listened to the audiobook. Liked the story, good plot, good characters, narrator not so much.
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